Why are the bees so mad at me?

When ya'll (Texan here) say "attacked" what exactly do you mean? Are you actually being stung? Maybe the bees are just being too friendly, er... curious, for comfort?

Just 'cause a bee lands on you doesn't mean it's attacking. In my childhood, whenever a bee or a wasp got into our house, it was always my job to get it out. I did this simply by encouraging the intruder to wander onto my hand then walking outside and waiting for the little bugger to take off. So long as you're truly calm and steady handed, it's a cinch! Of course, I wouldn't recommend it for the allergic, and I'm pretty sure I've never come across any Africanized bees in my day (bet they wouldn't hesitate to let me have it).

I've given this same speech to all my friends and family who're flighty around stinging insects and always get the same "you're crazy if you think I'm going to let a ___ walk on me" look. Hmm, Maybe I oughtta be a combined bee-keeper/gardener hobbyist?

There was TV special on Africanized bees and they showed that even they initially "warn off" by body slamming you -- they were doing this to a jogger's forehead -- which, I have to admit, CAN be scary.

One day, I was hanging a banner out the upstairs window while my DD (at the time maybe 3 or 4) was watching from the garden below. I accidentally dropped the banner, it landed in the foundation bushes, and a bumblebee zoomed out and struck DD in her forehead, bounced off, and flew away. Needless to say, she was terrified. I cuddled her and made up a story on the spot about a young bumblebee, first time out of her hive, who was attacked by a terrifying HUGE dark fluttering monster bird that fell out of the sky. She shut her eyes tight and flew away as fast as she could, but she slammed into something -- she was so CONFUSED and SCARED and flew home crying to her Mama.... Coincidentally, a few days later, a(nother) bumblebee brushed against her cheek. I told her that THAT was the bumblebee that got scared and hit her on the head, who came to kiss and apologize to her for scaring her, just like her Mama told her to: "Now I KNOW you were frightened, but you scared that little girl, too, when you flew into her. Now go on, go and apologize."